Happy Thanksgiving! I thought it would be cool if we as songwriters could take a moment to be thankful for what songwriting has brought to our lives. It could be our own songwriting or songwriting by other people. Maybe it was a song somebody wrote for you. I’ll start.
I’m thankful that songwriting brought me to Nashville, where I met my wife. I was roommates with her brother (a cowriter), and she came to visit. Thank you, songwriting!!!
I’m thankful for all the hours I spent back home with my best friend, Tim Meitzen, camping and writing songs around a campfire. Those nights of creating and dreaming are some of my favorite memories.
I’m thankful for all the hours I’ve been blessed to spend in the writing room with good people and great talents. I’m thankful for all the laughter in those rooms. I’m thankful for some of the tears in those rooms. I’m thankful for the honesty in those rooms. And for the private concerts when I get to write with great singers!
I’m thankful for the songs that act like time capsules. I’m thankful that I can listen to worktapes and demos and remember the fun I had writing those songs or the people and situations that inspired them.
I’m thankful that my kids and grandkids (Lord willing) will be able to listen to my songs and remember me and know me through them.
I’m thankful that the other day I got to hear my wife and kids upstairs having “praise time.” They were banging away on instruments and singing along to a gospel song I helped write. That was a blessing.
I’m thankful that I live in a country where I can pack up, cross state lines, and chase a crazy dream. In a lot of countries throughout a lot of world history, people have been TOLD what their jobs will be. I’m thankful for this freedom.
I’m thankful for everyone who has ever told me they like one of my songs, or that it moved them.
I’m thankful for every person who has believed in me- everyone from my parents to friends back home to publishers who’ve signed me to deals.
I’m thankful for every artist, indie or major, who has ever sung my words.
And I’m thankful for the Man vs. Row community. You’re awesome. What are YOU thankful for today? I’d love to read your comments!
God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,
Brent
Brent Baxter is a hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson, Randy Travis, Lady Antebellum, Joe Nichols, Gord Bamford, Ruthie Collins, Ray Stevens, and more. He’s written a top 5 hit in the US and a #1 in Canada… so far.
I’m thankful for the pilgrims and indians that understood the importance of getting along and estabished our Thanksgiving tradition. I am both thankful and proud of this country we get to live in and especially those who protect us daily and allow us to be thankful this and every holiday.
I’m thankful for all the opportunities Nashville has provided me these last two years on my songwriting path…the people met and the fun we have had. Thanks for you Brent for all the insight and direction you offer writers as they knock on your door.
I’m thankful I get to drive home to wonderful families tomorrow and spend a week of catching up. Friday we get to welcome our ninth grandchild to our family…I cannot think of a better reason to be thankful than that.
I am thankful for all people everywhere and hope they can find thanks in their lives. God gives us a reason to be thankful with each breath we take.
I’m thankful for the days when songwriting lights my soul on fire and reminds me why I first started on this crazy journey.
I’m thankful for the days when songwriting doesn’t light me on fire and it feels like I’ve completely used up my creativity – because it makes me a stronger person and writer.
I’m thankful for my loving support network that gets me through both of those days listed. It’s a roller coaster sometimes.
I’m thankful for random run-ins, that turn to cowrites, that turn to friends.
I’m thankful for blogs like this one that you stumble upon by googling “how to move to Nashville” and then obsessively continue to read them throughout your journey.
I’m thankful for having been given the inspiration at an early age to chase after a songwriting career. I’m thankful for all the people in my life that have encouraged me and to those who have helped me get better at the craft. I’m also thankful for those who take the time in their everyday lives to just listen. Thank You! Have a great Thanksgiving everyone!
Thankful I was able to write a song for both of my daughters weddings that made it a special moment and something they can keep and remember. I am thankful to God for so many things but nothing more than family.
I am thankful for all of the blessings that I have received over the past year for one of my songs. It won two awards and was picked up by a nationally known bluegrass artist to appear on her upcoming album. Even if I never see a penny for royalties, it is wonderful to know that someone appreciates my work.
I’m thankful, first and foremost for the God given talents that have allowed me to write songs that people have actually purchased and enjoyed when playing live.
I’m thankful for songwriting leading me to this awesome blog led by an awesome songwriter, father, husband and man of God, that lets us know that selling out isn’t a pre-requisite as good guys win too!
I’m thankful that songwriting has let me on some very interesting time spent with other songwriters, and music business people. I’ve got dozens of really cool friendships with mostly like minded people that I’m certain I’d have never met and friended, had it not been for songwriting communities, conferences and such.
I’m thankful that songwriting gives me a chance to touch people, make them dance, get them to reflect, spark happy memories, and light up their life, 3 minutes at a time.
I’m thankful that songwriting allowed me to communicate tributes, where letters would not likely have ever been read by anyone more than the person they were addressed to. I am especially thankful for the few songs, that got/get some regional radio play and that one of those regions allowed my Pops to hear a few lines paying tribute to him over the radio before he passed away.
I’m thankful that songwriting has sometimes been a great release, even when most of those “release” songs, might never make a penny, and some might never even be heard outside of my closest circles!
Lastly, I’m thankful that songwriting is something I can never perfect, never out grow and therefore something I can probably count on being able to do (at some level) until I head to that big retirement home in the sky full of songwriters I’ve always hoped to meet.
I usually write Christian songs, so I am very thankful for something wonderful to write about: an awesome, loving God, His Son Jesus, and the promises that are mine to claim through Him! My creativity was suppressed for many years, and I am thankful that God is answering my prayers and helping me to release my creativity and develop my talent. I’m thankful that, when I was a little girl. my precious Mother and Daddy bought us a piano and encouraged us to enjoy music. I’m thankful that my husband is very supportive of my music and encourages me. I’m thankful for Man vs Row – I feel it is full of reliable information that I can trust, and built on Christian values.
I’m thankful for the day that my girlfriend told me, “If you love writing music, then that’s what you should pursue.” That’s the first time I had ever been encouraged to work towards my dream, and 5 years and lots of hard work later, I’m going strong as ever towards the goal.
Brent.
I’m thankful for music city I’ve met some of the most talented people there including folks like you, thankful for the hangout places that provide a stage to sing on, thankful for Douglas Corner, The Commadore Grill, thankful for Bobby’s Idel Hour, and so grateful and thankful that I had the chance to make Nashville a part of my history, do many deserving people that fight to keep their dreams alive and active, the positive energy you feel from folks who know the everyday life struggles but at the end of the day the day was an acomplishment, moments help us hang on, so I’m thankful to have had the chance to be me, nothing comes easy brother and it never will till we walk the road, most important I so grateful for my family support through it all!
Blessings to all!
Man, I love reading these! Thank all of you so much for sharing!
I’mthankful for BRENT’S AWESOME BLOGS & MAN vs ROW Newsletters!
Thanks, Gabrielle!